WAUFlahertyJames5436.xml Guide to the James E. Flaherty Papers Flaherty (James E.) Papers Funding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries © 2006 (Last modified: 4/13/2018)
Seattle, WA 98195
Finding aid written inEnglish. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard). University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections 5436 (Accession No. 5436-001) Flaherty, James E James E. Flaherty papers 2.38 cubic feet (3 boxes) Collection materials are inEnglish. Papers of Seattle editor, publisher, and civic commissioner concerned with Puget Sound mass transit.

James E. Flaherty was born on December 28, 1912 in Seattle, Washington and earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Washington. He served as editor ofTransitalkfor the Seattle Transit System from October 1940 until 1948. Flaherty left to edit and publishThe South District Journaland took over the publication ofThe Beacon Hill Newsin 1950. His mother, Rhoda A. Flaherty, had originally foundedThe Beacon Hill Newsin 1924. He later published theThe Mount Baker Bulletinand several other district newspapers in the Seattle area. He also served as a commissioner on the Seattle Transit Commission for six years during the 1950's, when the city was struggling with issues related to developing a mass transit system for the region. He died on June 22, 1980.

Organized into 8 series: Correspondence, Publications, Clippings, Reports, Legislation, Photographs, Drawings, and Film.

Correspondence, reports, publications, clippings, legislation, photographs, drawings, film; 1910-1986.

Publications include three incomplete runs of "Transitalk," the staff newsletter of the Seattle Transit System, edited by James Flaherty from October 1940 through October 1948. Also includes transit-related publications from the 1950's, newspaper clippings detailing the Seattle Transit System strike negotiations in 1956, and annual reports for the Seattle Transit System from 1940 to 1948 and 1952 to 1959. Photographs include Seattle public transportation lines, equipment, sites, and personnel, many of which were used in "Transitalk" issues. Cartoon drawings were created by Toly E. Kojev, Smart, Reed, and other cartoonist during the 1940's for issues of "Transitalk." The 8mm film, "Success Story," was produced by Metropolitan Coach Lines for Jesse L. Haugh circa 1955.

Open to all users.

Request at UW

Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Received from Katherine F. Green, November 3, 2005.

Minimally processed.

Flaherty, James E.--Archives Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington) Seattle Publishers and Publishing Photographs Journalism

 

Correspondence 1 Letter to James Flaherty from C.A. Nave 1955 July 30 Publications 1 Municipal NewsVol. 44, No. 31 1954 July 31 1 Public Relations Manualby the American Transit Association undated 1 Rapid Transit on Freeway, Seattle-Tacoma-Everett: Seattle Metropolitan Area Rapid Transit Studyby Seattle Transit Commission 1957 March 1 Planning for Thoroughfares, Central Freewayby City of Seattle Planning Commission 1952 January 1 Chicago's Mass Transportation Systemby Chicago Transit Authority 1957 February 1 What Parking Means to Businessby Automotive Safety Foundation 1955 November 1 The Metro Enabling Actby Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle 1961 August 1 The Electric JournalVol. 2, No. 5 1912 June 1 Puget Sound Electric JournalVol. 4, No. 7 1914 July 1 Seattle Street Railways: How To Use Themby Seattle Electric Company undated 1 Request for Rapid Transit Mall on Project Seattle Freewayby James E. Flaherty 1955 January 11 1 What You Want to Know About Your Job at Seattle Transitby Seattle Transit System 1945 1 Transitalkby Seattle Transit System 1940-1948

Three incomplete runs from October 1940 to October 1948 of the in-house employee publication edited by James E. Flaherty.

 1 Pacific Northwest QuarterlyVol. 72, No. 2 1974-1986

Includes a copy of the April 1986 journal, a photocopy of the "Electric Streetcars in Seattle: The Lawton Gowey Photograph Collection" article written by Richard H. Engeman, a letter from Lawton Gowey to the Beacon Hills News in 1974, and a negative and print of a Seattle street car used in a Beacon Hills News article.

 Clippings 1 Seattle Transit Strike Negotiations 1956 1 "Old Cable Cars" article inThe Seattle Star 1945 September 28 1 Article by Jim Flaherty on 1940Transitalkcover story inSouth District Journal 1980 February 6 Reports 1 Seattle Transit System Annual Reports 1940-1948 1 Seattle Transit System Annual Reports 1952-1959 3 Regional Rapid Transit: A Report to the San Francisco Bay Area Transit Commission 1955 Legislation 2 Washington State Senate Bill No. 136 "Metropolitan Municipal Corporations" 1957 Photographs 2 Seattle Transit Photographs circa 1917-circa 1940's

Twenty b/w photographs of early transit drivers and employees, street and cable cars, downtown Seattle, the Seattle Municipal Railway car barn, the U.S. Immigration Service building, construction work on the Denny or Jackson regrade, and the highway sign showing the Seattle end of U.S. Highway 10, prior to the construction of I-90.

 2 TransitalkMagazine Photographs 1910-1948 2 folders

One hundred twenty-nine b/w photographs of street and cable car crews and equipment, Seattle Transit System employees, and various identified Seattle buildings and scenes. Each photograph is identified with date of theTransitalkissue that the photo appeared in and many contain additional identification of the individuals or location.

 Drawings 2 TransitalkCartoons circa 1940's

Thirty-nine original drawings by Toly E. Kojev, Smart, Reed, and other cartoonist who contributed to issues ofTransitalk.

 8mm Film 3 Success Storyproduced by Metropolitan Coach Lines for Jesse L. Haugh circa 1955